Middle East Monitor / August 29, 2023
The head of the Israeli Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, warned that overcrowding in prisons would greatly hinder forces from making serious arrests in the occupied West Bank.
The warning comes as legislation introduced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, which stops the administrative release of security prisoners, went into effect on Friday. Administrative release permits the release of security prisoners with relatively light sentences near the end of their prison term to make room in prisons.
This policy, local media warned, will negatively affect the arrests carried out by the Israeli occupation army and the Shin Bet, in particular at a time when security tensions are on a high in the occupied West Bank.
Knesset members said Ben-Gvir’s decision is irresponsible as it does not provide options for prison facilities. This, they warned, could mean there is no place to hold more dangerous prisoners.
